While the competition between our School and The Frederick Gunn School (FGS, formerly The Gunnery) has always been strong, it is now cemented even further through the Canterbury-FGS Cup, awarded annually to the school who wins the highest tally of total athletic competitions throughout the year. While the competition is year-long, the rivalry is particularly noticeable during the final week of our fall athletic season, dubbed Spirit Week, and the final Saturday of the regular athletic season, dubbed FGS Day. Each day of the week, students (and faculty!) are encouraged to dress in spirited gear, from “Twin Tuesday” to “Saints-wear Friday” to get hyped for Saturday’s games. The week culminates with a pep rally and bonfire on Friday evening before Saturday morning’s games between our soccer, field hockey, and cross country teams. 

Spirit Week Photos

FGS Day Photos (Formerly Gunnery Day)

The Canterbury community gathers three times a week in Macguire Auditorium to celebrate individual and school-wide achievements from the week prior as well as upcoming events and games. These gatherings serve as a time to ground the School and bring together the community in collective recognition. 

Monday School Meetings are spearheaded by Associate Head of School for Student Life Peter LaVigne while Friday School Meetings are run by our Sixth Form Council. Students and faculty alike make announcements about athletic competitions, club meetings, and play rehearsals—peppered with exclamations of Happy Birthday! and remarks on individual student accomplishments. With the Sixth Form Council at the lead, Friday’s meeting often includes moments of dance, laughter, and unified silliness that have become part of the morning's routine. 

During Thursday School Meeting, students are invited to share pieces of themselves and their most tightly-held values through our weekly Saints on the Hill presentations. Through story-telling, photos, and anecdotes of lessons learned, students practice their public speaking skills in front of a school-wide audience and bring the community closer together. 

Tuesdays at lunch, all students and faculty share a meal together in the dining hall. Sit-down fosters community and brings together groups of students and adults that may otherwise not have the opportunity to interact during their typical weekly schedule. Sit-down tables rotate each week, pairing unique groups of students and faculty members throughout the year. It is a weekly opportunity for our School to connect and grow even deeper.

Open to the entire Canterbury community, the end-of-year Spring Carnival takes place on beautiful Sheehan Field and is complete with food trucks, face painting, lawn games, water slides, a dunk tank—for students and teachers alike—and all sorts of inflatable amusements.